


overcome

by LucreziaDormentaire



Series: Tsukkiyama shorts [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, I'm sorry Kuroo, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-28 13:32:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6331177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LucreziaDormentaire/pseuds/LucreziaDormentaire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I’m pretty sure this isn’t the first time this has happened with Kuroo, and your plants look kind of exotic so how about I treat you to a dinner as an apology?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	overcome

**Author's Note:**

> I find a lot of cute prompts i want to write in tumblr. here's one. Prompt: my cat keeps breaking into your apartment and it ate all your plants…. Dinner to make up for it?
> 
> please don't hate me for this i actually love kuroo very much

Kei met him when he first moved in. Moving to a big city had been a tough work; and with no close relatives in sight, his first day was unforgiving. His mother had told him he’d regret it instantly, knowing just how irritable his youngest son is – but it was his choice, and there was no way he’d back out in front of Akiteru.

The amount of people living in Tokyo vexed him, and he tired himself out worrying about impractical things that he immediately dozed off the moment he stepped inside the rundown apartment he now calls his _home_.

Of course, Kei knew about the customary neighboring etiquette but he was too worn-out to care, so when someone knocked on his door the day after, he was genuinely surprised. That was when he got to know his next door neighbor, Yamaguchi Tadashi, a medical student who’s a wee bit _too_ nice for his own good.

They’ve been neighbors ever since.

If you ask Kei why he has not moved from his current apartment yet, he’d probably answers, “Because the rent is cheap.”

True, but Kei has a permanent job with a steady income now – he could definitely afford a better space. The only question is; does he want to?

He would never admit it to anyone, let alone his pesky coworkers, but something keeps him in place. Make that two.

 

Kei places a bowl of leftovers down on the floor after he’s done cleaning up. He crouches down and waits for his fellow dweller to come while quietly humming the tune of a song he’d just find recently. Watching his little companion eat has grown into a weird habit for him. After all, his cat is his only _true_ friend in this hectic city, and although Kei is never the garrulous kind of person, he still needs someone – or _something_ to vent his frustration at. He likes animals better, though. At least they won’t judge him for being petulant.

His room is quiet save for the sound of fan and water dripping down the sink. His cat takes a while to come, it’s rare, even for him. Usually he’d rush to Kei’s side immediately after he hears the sound of his bowl, but even after a few minutes, there’s no trace of him. Kei stands up.

“Kuroo?” He calls out, searching his surrounding for the familiar tail wags. When he receives no response of any kind, he leaves the kitchen and heads into the living room. He looks under the kotatsu, behind the cabinet, and every corner in his cramped flat but he doesn’t see his cat anywhere. Another place pops inside his head, but just the thought of it makes him bend forwards wearily.

“Not again,” He mutters under his breath.

Just then, he hears a soft knock on his door, accompanied by a low, comforting murmur. Kei sighs before opening the door to his apartment.

Speak of the Devil.

Yamaguchi stands before him, his messy hair all the same and still in his (cute) nurse attire, cradling a fat lump of dark-haired creature delicately in his arms. He smiles the smile of a thousand suns, and Kei wonders briefly about the muscle of his face. How can a person maintain a smile like that for more than a minute? (Then again, Kei rarely smiles, so he wouldn’t understand even if anyone were to explain it to him.)

“Kuroo,” Kei mutters, if not a little stern.

“He’s getting heavier,” Yamaguchi laughs airily, voice chimes like a bell inside of Kei’s head. “N – Not that it’s a bad thing, of course, I mean, he’s really healthy.”

Kei extends his hand and takes Kuroo away from his neighbor. “There’s nothing healthy about this oversized tabby.” At that, Kuroo’s ears perk up and he struggles – before Kei holds him against his chest. “Sorry about this. He seems to always find a way out even though I always closed the door.”

Yamaguchi only shrugs, and Kei swears, the smile on his face is _infectious_. “Please don’t worry about it! I always like cats, and Kuroo is just really adorable.”

Kuroo meows affectionately as if he understands. Kei narrows his eyes skeptically. _No, of course not, who am I kidding. He’s a cat._ Kei thinks. “He grows quite fond of you.”

Yamaguchi makes a weird noise of excitement. “Aww, really?”

The guy looks genuinely happy. Something in Kei’s guts stirs. He can not believe he actually feels jealous towards his own stupid cat. “So you just got back from work?” He asks, cheering himself mentally for finally starting up a decent conversation.

 Yamaguchi nods as he dusts off the remains of cat furs on his clothing. “Yep. I get a lot of overtimes lately,” The smile on his face gone dry as he scratches the back of his head.

“Oh,” Kei blinks. He racks his brain for suitable answers. “That must’ve been… hard.”

“It is – my whole body is aching, but at the same time, it’s kind of fun!” Yamaguchi admits with a giggle fit. “I guess I’m just being a masochist though.”

Kei can’t help the way the corner of his lips pulls up into a tiny smile. This is what he likes about Yamaguchi; he’s a little bit frank but he’s thorough and earnest, and even the small talk like this is able to lift Kei’s mood for the whole day.

They both stays still, words failing to get out of their mouths. Yamaguchi is looking up at him expectantly, but the weight of the gaze only serves to fluster him more. Kei’s reasonableness doesn’t function well under pressure. “So… I’ll see you around?”

Yamaguchi’s expression drops vaguely as he nods his head. “Oh… yeah! Sure!”

Kei swears he can hear Kuroo rumbles disappointedly in his arms. He tightens his grip on the cat while he nods politely at Yamaguchi’s direction. Yamaguchi does the same before finally walking back to his own place. Kei closes the door behind him, and just as he overhears to the sound of Yamaguchi’s door closing, a relieved sigh escapes his lips.

Kuroo growls at him critically, and Kei momentarily considers about having Tarantula as a pet. He lifts the black-haired cat and brings him to his face.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with you.” Kei mumbles accusingly. Kuroo makes a weird noise of dissent. If Kuroo was a human, somehow Kei knows he’d roll his eyes at him.

“No, listen, you’re just a cat, you don’t understand.” Kei scolds – mostly to himself, really.

Kuroo wriggles in his grips before Kei finally drops him down the floor. The cat leisurely saunters to the kitchen; where his bowl of food is waiting for him. Kei sighs for the nth times that day.

But hey – at least he gets a chance to talk to his delightfully lovable neighbor – who he’d known for years but with no notable progress in their affiliation – even if it’s just for a moment. He lets his nervousness seeps in and leans against the tattered wooden door.

“Shit, Kuroo,” He says desperately to the crisp air around him, not sure if his cat could hear him. “He was wearing his uniform. Shit. I think I’m in deep.”

Kuroo meows in satisfaction after what it feels like ten minutes.

* * *

 

Every morning before work, Yamaguchi always spares his time to tend his Hibiscus plants beneath the window of his flat, Kei notices. (Not that he’d admit he is always watching the poor guy though. Now that’s creepy.)

There are times where Yamaguchi talks and smiles to them as if they’d understand. It’s pretty endearing as it is amusing. (Coming from a guy who talks to a Cat…)

All in all, Kei concludes that Yamaguchi cares about his plants a lot. He wonders if there are more vegetation inside of his place.

“Good morning, Tsukishima-san.” Yamaguchi greets him. “Going to work?”

Kei blinks out his daydreaming. “Yeah.”

Yamaguchi is in a middle of watering his plants. “I see. Then, um, be safe on your way.”

Kei only nods as his voice suddenly fails him – more in embarrassment than anything. He’s fully aware of the fact that the only thing that stands between him and Yamaguchi is his pride. If he were to shatter that wall, then maybe…

“Um, aren’t you… supposed to go?” Yamaguchi asks tentatively, looking bemused when Kei shows no sign of moving.

“H-huh? Yeah, I’m… I – ” Kei stammers, the words slipping out of his lips chaotically. He regrets it almost immediately; Yamaguchi doesn’t need to see this pathetic side of him. Kei closes his eyes shut and looks away.  With the way he’s acting right now, it’s clear that he’s not going to break that wall anytime soon.

Yamaguchi tilts his head in confusion before adding, “Oh, don’t forget, tomorrow’s the day for trash collecting.” He hums. “So, I’ll see you later then, Tsukishima-san.”

Awkward reaction aside, Kei thinks it’s a rather good way to start the day.

* * *

 

Kei wakes up the next day feeling lethargic. He’s not a big fan of cleaning up and sorting his trash – it’s probably the only thing he can’t seem to get the hang of even after living alone for years. To add to his growing hindrance, his cat – Kuroo – keeps on coughing up hairballs all over the corners of his flat when he tries to actually tidy up. Kei adjusts his glasses and huffs resignedly.

“I’m going to stuff you into the burnable bag.” He threatens the cat, his nails digging into his wooden broom.

Kuroo hisses and runs away from Kei to the direction of their front door, leaving a trail of dark short hairs on his wake. Kei grunts at the mess but runs after the cat once he realizes he had left the door open.

“Kuroo!” Kei screams, placing his broom by his door as he tails his cat outside. Kuroo is obviously faster than him, so Kei almost misses the way his stupid cat slips between a door that has been left ajar. Kei doesn’t think twice as he follows Kuroo inside, pushing the door open as if he owns the place.

“Listen, I am so exchanging you over a pet Spider – “ The blonde’s words die on his tongue as he steps into an unfamiliar living space. “Uh,” This is probably the first and the _last_ time he’d ever set foot inside of Yamaguchi’s flat (Seeing as he obviously trespasses). Putting his manners and etiquettes aside, the first thing he does is look around, observing his surroundings. The inside of Yamaguchi’s apartment is almost similar to his; cramped entrance, narrow corridor, and tattered wallpaper.

“Yamaguchi…?” Hearing no answer, Kei slips his slippers off and paces to the living room, where he finds Kuroo perched on top of a working table, innocently licking his paw clean. More annoyed than anything, Kei stomps to the middle of the room, glaring hole at his cat. “How many times do I have to tell you to stop bothering Yamaguchi?”

Kuroo regards him with the briefest glance before hopping into the nearest window and starts _chewing_ on an outlandish potted plant.

Kei stares in horror. He hurriedly reaches for his cat and pulls him away from the plant in one swift motion. Kei recognizes the plant as an Orchid, but he had never seen ones with intriguing speckled flowers, so he assumes it must’ve been expensive. With Kuroo in hand, he studies the rest of the room. There are many different kinds of houseplants, all of them looking well retained and loved and _expensive_. Yamaguchi really do loves his plants.

Kei spots the unusual bite marks on some of the leaves, sending a shiver of dread through him. “Kuroo…” He starts, “ _What have you done?_ ”

“Um, Tsukishima…?” Kei turns around as soon as he hears a voice behind him, looking like a deer caught in headlights. Yamaguchi is standing at the of the hallway, looking a bit wary and unsure. He has a cute neon green apron on and his hair is tied up messily into a ponytail – but that’s not crucial for now.

“Uh.” Kei begins like a pro.

Yamaguchi’s gaze flies to Kuroo – who’s hanging awkwardly on Kei’s hands – and to his potted Orchid by the window pane. “Oh,” He makes a noise of acknowledgment, as if the _exact_ same thing has happened before. Kei wants to make a run for it, but something keeps his feet rooted in place.

“You left the door open so,”

Yamaguchi nods, pulling his lips into a dry smile. “I was taking out the trash,”

“I see.” Kei blinks. The room suddenly grows cold. Must’ve been because Yamaguchi left the window open.

“So you saw,” Yamaguchi says, scratching his cheek.

Kei’s mouth hangs open, but no sounds are capable of escaping his throat. He should probably apologize, he should probably promise the guy that this kind of thing would never happen again in the future, but instead, his mind keeps on mulling of how cute Yamaguchi looks like in his apron and oversized rubber gloves.

“Yeah,” Kei says after a while, “So, I’m pretty sure this isn’t the first time this has happened with Kuroo, and your plants look kind of exotic so how about I treat you to a dinner as an apology?” He mutters under one breath.

“Wh – What?” Yamaguchi reels back, his round, dark eyes shot open.

“I mean, you don’t have to if you want to, I’m just trying to be civil because Kuroo is my cat and – “ Kei doesn’t even realize how _nervous_ he is until his voice wavered and his breath got stuck in his throat.

Yamaguchi raises an eyebrow. “…Are you asking me out?” He asks carefully, his curious eyes following Kei’s movement ever so slightly.

“No! I mean – “ Kei struggles with words, feeling the base of his neck slowly heating up. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

Kuroo’s meow sounds very condemning.

“Oh,” Yamaguchi frames his reddening face with his hands. “I see. Okay.”

“Where do you want to go? I can take you somewhere fancy and…”

“As long as I’m with you, anywhere is fine by me,” Yamaguchi admits shyly, casting his eyes down to the floor.

Kuroo growls, wriggling his entire body free. He doesn’t need to hear any more of this rom-con bullshit. Kei lets go of his grip and Kuroo falls gracefully to the floor.

Kei wasn’t expecting for Yamaguchi to agree so easily, let alone with that kind of response. Kuroo is the last thing he wants to think about for now as he inches closer to where Yamaguchi is standing. His heart is pounding wildly in his chest and it’s getting hard to focus with the way Yamaguchi is looking at him. “So Friday sounds good for you?”

“It’s perfect.”

So maybe Kei doesn’t necessarily need to break the wall alone – he’s got a friend for that. Perhaps tonight he’ll buy Kuroo the finest cat food in store as a token of his gratitude.

**Author's Note:**

> i really like cats


End file.
